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Important Notice

The Personal Insurance Company will be phasing out the use of the Western Direct Insurance brand with regards to its home and auto insurance policies.

The brand is changing from Western Direct Insurance to The Personal Insurance Company. However, the insurer (The Personal) will continue to be the same as it was under the Western Direct Insurance Program.

Preparing Your Deck or Patio for Alberta's Wind Storms

Friday, October 18, 2013

If you live in Alberta or other areas with frequent wind storms, you have to prepare your surroundings to limit the damage. This applies especially to your deck or patio, as this is where you probably keep some outdoor furniture, pot plants, and so forth.

Some tips for preparing your patio for Alberta's wind storms:

Make sure that you know the state of your deck. Frayed or cracked wood should be replaced to prevent further damage in a wind storm.

If your patio is enclosed with sliding glass doors and windows and you have some warning before a storm, cover the glass with shutters made of plywood. Otherwise, get proper impact-resistant door systems installed. These are made of laminated glass, and cannot be lifted out of their tracks by strong winds.

Patio furniture can not only be destroyed by strong winds, but can also become launched, and have the capacity to hurt people or damage property further. In the case of high winds, make sure that you move furniture that can be air lifted.

Many people use patio umbrellas because they are so easy to erect and fold. However, these should also be moved before they become damaging projectiles.

If you have a warning that a storm is coming, take potted and hanging plants inside. It is generally better to place plants as close as possible to the house so that the roof overhang can lend them some protection from the wind. Trim off tree branches that hang over the patio.

As an extra precaution, unplug electric equipment like patio lighting and water features.